, Matt Cook, and Holly Grosch

Although there are no local Democratic or Republican primaries this year, several candidates are vying for endorsements from the Conservative and Independence parties.

The primaries will be held on Sept. 13. They are open to those enrolled in the Conservative or Independence parties, so that those voters can chose which candidate will be endorsed by their party in the general election on Nov. 8.

All of those candidates on the small-party primary ballots are also large-party candidates, running as either Democrats or Republicans. Large-party candidates often seek small-party lines because, in addition to the limited number of Conservative or Independence votes they may win in the general election, enrolled Democrats or Republicans are often more willing to pull the lever on a small-party line rather than the rival big-party line.

Guilderland

In Guilderland this year, the two candidates for town justice are vying for both the Conservative and Independence lines.

Long-time Republican Judge Steven J. Simon is running for another four-year term and says its his experience that qualifies him.
"I enjoy the job and I feel I have something to offer since I’ve been here for 25 years," he told The Enterprise earlier. "My experience helps in making my decisions."

He is being challenged on both lines by Democrat Denise Randall, an attorney. For almost six years, she has been the prosecutor in Guilderland Town Court.
"I’ve watched the courts and how they work," she said earlier. "I have ideas on how it could be more efficient and flexible in scheduling."

Guilderland has two town justices who each serve four-year terms. Democrat John Bailey was elected two years ago to replace Judge Kenneth Riddett, who retired after two decades. Bailey is the first Democrat in the town’s 200-year history to serve as judge.

New Scotland

Four candidates will be listed on the Conservative ballot because they have received the party endorsement: Ed Clark for supervisor, Andrea Gleason and Douglas LaGrange for council seats — all with GOP endorsement — and Tom Dolin, a Democrat, for town justice.

Write-ins will also be allowed. (See related stories.)

Incumbent Supervisor Clark is running for his third two-year term as he pushes for the town to put together a comprehensive plan. Clark had served as the mayor of Voorheesville for 17 years.

Eight-year veteran to the town board, Gleason, a retired Voorheesville school teacher, is running for her third four-year term. She said she brings a senior citizen’s perspective to the board.

Republican LaGrange is an eighth-generation Feura Bush farmer who runs a family dairy farm with his brothers. He was narrowly defeated in a run for council two years ago, losing by just 22 votes. LaGrange is on the town’s planning board.

Dolin is is the only Conservative Party endorsee who is not running on the Republican ticket. He has been a New Scotland town justice for 12 years. He currently runs a private law practice out of his home, but had been an attorney for the county’s Surrogate Courts, and an attorney for the town’s zoning and planning boards.

Independence voters may cast a ballot for either Dolin or Susan Aron-DeFronzo. A lawyer, she is making her first run for town justice, on the Republican line.
"I’ve been in public service since I came out of law school...This seems like the next natural step," she said.

Hilltowns

In the Hilltowns, primaries for town offices will be held in Berne, Knox, and Rensselaerville.

In Berne, incumbent Kevin Crosier, an Albany firefighter, is running unopposed for the Conservative Party nomination for town supervisor. Councilman James Hamilton, a technology teacher at Hudson Valley Community College, is running unopposed for the Independence Party nomination.

In Knox, the Conservative and Independence parties’ nominations for tax collector are open to write-in candidates.

In Rensselaerville, the Conservative Party nominations for supervisor and councilperson are open to write-in candidates, and Sean McCormick is running for a nomination for assessor. The Conservative Party nomination for a second assessor’s position is open to write-in candidates.

Also in Rensselaerville, Robert Lansing, the current supervisor and a retired school business administrator, is running for the Independence nomination for councilperson. A second nomination for councilperson is open to write-in candidates. Incumbent Eric Sutton is running for a nomination for assessor, and a second nomination for assessor is open to write-in candidates.